Product Backlog
Short Tip: It is an ordered list of the functionalities required for the product.
What is it?
It is an ordered list of product requirements. As indicated in the Scrum Guide, everything that will be built in the product must be represented in some way in the Product Backlog.
Therefore, the backlog contains not only functional requirements (functionalities), but it may also contain items to be corrected, improvements, etc., that is, everything that must be done. Thus, the Product Backlog will never be finished, except in the event the product is discontinued or the initiative has a predetermined purpose (i.e., it is a project).
Why use it?
On the one hand, using a Product Backlog as the sole source of requirements makes it easier for the team to identify what should be done and with what priority. However, without a Story Map, the Product Backlog may become confusing due to its extension and lack of visibility regarding interdependencies and decomposition.
How to use it?
The Product Backlog may be used by multiple teams, and a single Backlog is built per product. The following steps should be followed:
- Based on the Story Map (if it has been created), include Epics and User Stories in the Backlog;
- Order the Backlog according to priority. The priorities must remain consistent with the releases mapped in the Story Map and in the Roadmap;
- Break down the Epics at the top of the Backlog into smaller items, which must fit in a Sprint or Development Cycle.
A good practice recommended by Mike Cohn and Roman Pichler is to use DEEP Backlogs – DEEP being the acronym for Detailed, Estimated, Emergent and Prioritized, which mean:
- Detailed (Correctly): items at the top of the backlog must be more detailed than the lower items. Detailing low-priority items can mean wasting time.
- Estimated: items must be estimated, since estimating is useful as a planning tool. However, items at the top of the backlog will be more precisely detailed than those at the bottom. The Developers are in charge of estimating.
- Emergent: the Backlog must be constantly updated in order to reflect the changes occurring in the product’s journey.
- Prioritized: The Backlog is ordered from highest priority (top) to lowest priority (bottom). Ordering is the responsibility of the Product Owner (PIM-Go© Agile) or the Initiative Leader (PIM-Go© Hybrid) and the Development Team.